


Hold my hand (would you?)

by dobe_san



Series: Hold my hand [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance, SemiShiraWeek2020, but not really, semi catches shirabu off guard, shirabu catches him instead, they catch each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27043894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dobe_san/pseuds/dobe_san
Summary: “Actually, I reallydidwrite a song,” he admitted to Shirabu as they walked. He bit his lip, pausing a little, before adding, “It was a song for you.”Or, as far as love confessions go, this one is sweet and simple.----Day 1 of #SemiShiraweek2020.
Relationships: Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou
Series: Hold my hand [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1966867
Comments: 8
Kudos: 99
Collections: Semishira Week 2020





	Hold my hand (would you?)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt(s): firsts & future, confession
> 
> Accompanying tracks:  
> [Perhaps Love – Eddy Kim](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ--oQwbenw)
> 
> This can be read alone, or in sequence with the rest of the series.

When Semi first found out about Shirabu’s dinner plans with Reon, he unashamedly invited himself to join.

Just like how Reon had his plans to hand Shirabu—now third year and captain—and the juniors some sports vouchers from where he worked part time, Semi had a plan of his own that involved Shirabu, too.

(And from the looks that Reon gave Semi, when Semi had been staring at Shirabu lick his pizza stained fingers clean, it seemed like his friend might have figured him out.

 _”You know you can tell him right, Eita?”_ Reon had said to him when Shirabu was in the washroom. _“Your heart eyes are burning holes through his bangs.”_ )

After dinner and saying goodbye to the kind but perceptive soul that was Reon, Semi offered to walk Shirabu to the train station, even though his university dorms were in the other direction. Shirabu shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t mind the company.

Semi was glad because honestly, Reon was right. Semi had been thinking about telling Shirabu the truth for a while now.

The truth about the feelings that had bubbled and threatened to spill over ever since he had left Shiratorizawa.

And his grand plan was to, _maybe_ , tell Shirabu tonight. 

Thinking back, Semi didn’t really know when the particular seedling had taken root deep within him. Maybe it had been their first conversation after losing his position, when Shirabu had won them their first official match as main setter with his safe but brilliant tosses. Or maybe it had been that one training camp with the terrible mud games, the one that had forced them to rely on each other, closer than they had ever before. 

But over the time they had known each other, Semi’s feelings had most definitely blossomed into something more. 

Because Semi had slowly learnt to see beneath every raised eyebrow that used to irk him. Every retort from Shirabu had become less a sign of disrespect and more a sign of jest.

After getting prodded and poked many times by Shirabu’s prickly demeanour, Semi started appreciating the opportunities to pry those closed doors open with his own hands.

So much so that when Shirabu had found him at the third years’ graduation ceremony end last year, and had instead chosen to bid him farewell without much of the usual defences for him to get under, Semi had been caught off guard.

“ _You look pathetic,” Shirabu commented, giving him a stalk of sunflower._

_Semi added the flower to his already full hand, sniffling through a scowl and elbowing Shirabu without any real malice._

_“I’d say thanks for the flower, but you’re mean even when I’m leaving, and so I won’t.”_

_Shirabu snorted._

_“Blame your crying face. Are you going to miss us that much?”_

_Semi looked at the soft yellow petals, and then back at Shirabu. He huffed with an annoyed purse of_ _his lips, and together with his words, they belied his honest thoughts._

“ _I’d miss everyone but you, you brat.”_

Of course I’d miss you.

_He was expecting Shirabu to simply roll his eyes or say something sarcastic in return._

_Instead, he got a surprise.  
_

_Shirabu held his gaze intently. He stared at Semi long enough for Semi to count his pretty eyelashes, and then slowly, he gave Semi a smile - a tiny, unfamiliar, yet genuine curl of his lips._

“ _Hey,” he called out softly to Semi._

_“What is it?”_

_“If it’s any comfort, Semi-san, I’ll really miss you too._ ”

Fast forward to a few months since then, Semi realised that his fears of him and Shirabu drifting apart—thanks to the lack of physical proximity and in part his own unspoken feelings—had been for naught.

The two of them had kept in touch. Where Shirabu might not have replied much in the past, he now reciprocated most of Semi’s attempts. At first it had been random messages here and there in their team’s group chat, silly comments directed specifically to Shirabu with Shirabu teasing right back.

It wasn’t long till they started a private chat away from prying eyes, especially away from Tendou, who often made cryptic remarks at Semi’s replies to Shirabu. From there, they had even arranged to meet a few times, and with each inevitable parting, Semi was left with a longing that only grew stronger. 

Tonight, he and Shirabu were still making their way from the pizza place to the station, where Shirabu would catch the train back to Shiratorizawa. The entire walk thus far, Semi had been rehearsing some very specific words in his mind. But he hadn’t found a good moment to say them yet.

At least, not until they were chatting about Semi’s new band, and Shirabu was teasing that Semi would be writing sappy love songs all the time, because _that’s just what bands do_.

It was then that Semi finally decided it was time to try.

“Actually, I really _did_ write a song,” he admitted to Shirabu as they walked. He bit his lip, pausing a little, before adding, “It was a song for you.”

This was meant to be a light-hearted opener, one that tested the waters for a more serious line that was to come.

True enough, Shirabu snorted, obviously not quite getting it yet. He strolled alongside Semi as he replied.

“Of all the people you know, why would you write _me_ a song?”

Semi chuckled, shaking his head. Waters tested, too shallow.

He looked up at the night sky, hands in his pockets, as he sucked in a deep breath and took the plunge.

“That’s because of all the people I know, you’re the only one that my heart likes.”

Semi noticed when Shirabu’s footsteps slowed to a stop. He had already walked a few paces ahead, so he turned around, searching, and found Shirabu blinking at him with his doe eyes. 

“What did you say?” Shirabu asked. There was surprise in his face and voice, as though he couldn’t quite believe what Semi had just said. 

In the time that he’d known Shirabu, it was the first time Semi had seen him look like that.

Confused, defenceless, _soft_.

Semi wanted to hold him.

“I said,” he whispered to the space between them, “I really like you.”

Shirabu’s lips parted, eyebrows raised higher behind his bangs.

“You’re joking, right?”

Semi shook his head. The swirl of emotions within him was picking up in intensity, but he continued, resolute in his decision.

“No, Shirabu, I’m not.”

Then, Shirabu started frowning. He stayed silent for a long time, then fumbled to find his next words.

“But you said...you’ve never...you _like_ me?”

Hearing his own words from Shirabu’s mouth just made everything seem more real. Now that it was out there, Semi couldn’t take it back. He didn’t want to, no, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t be nervous about it. He brought a hand up to his neck, looking down at the ground.

“You don’t have say anything now,” he said to Shirabu. “You don’t even have to say anything, ever, if you don’t want to. I just...I just wanted you to know, because I really do feel strongly about you.” Semi tried to ease the tension with a chuckle, “Strong enough to write an entire love song, I guess.”

But it didn’t work, because Shirabu didn’t laugh. At his continued silence, Semi looked back up. Shirabu’s eyes were still searching his face.

Semi swallowed at the implications.

Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything at all.

“Look, you can just ignore this, I wouldn’t mind,” he tried to brush it off with another tiny laugh, but this one didn’t quite come out right either. “The train station’s just a few minutes away, so I’ll just leave you to it. I just...um, thanks, Shirabu, for listening. Maybe, if you do ever think about it, or if you’re still keen to...,” Semi knew he was rambling, and he decided to stop. “Um, never mind. I don’t know, maybe just text me when you’re back at the dorms or something.”

With his throat tight and heart heavy, Semi said goodbye and turned around to leave. 

_Right, that went_ well, he sighed, starting his journey alone back towards his own university dorms. It was so silly of him to be so brave for one second and then run away so quickly in the next. 

There was of course some relief from telling the truth, from finally releasing what had been held inside for so long. Semi didn’t really have any idea if Shirabu had ever thought about him like that, but still, he had at least wanted to try. Yet, with the current state of things, there was a new weight that was beginning to settle uncomfortably in his being, heavy and uncertain.

Suddenly, he heard some footsteps behind him. Soon, Shirabu was calling out.

“Wait, hey Semi-san, wait-”

A hand reached out to grab him.

“-Semi, _wait_.”

Semi stopped in his tracks, surprised at where Shirabu’s fingers were tight around his wrist.

Gently, Shirabu tugged at his arm. 

“Hey, look at me.”

Semi did.

Shirabu was standing close to him. But his face was hidden in the shadows of the street lights, and Semi couldn’t quite make out his expression.

“Yeah?” Semi breathed, nervous. He swallowed hard when Shirabu took a while to speak, as though the words were caught in his throat. Semi wondered if Shirabu would try to salvage their friendship with a similar suggestion to put this interruption behind them. Or maybe, he would say something about wanting this to be the last time they met.

But when Shirabu finally spoke, Semi couldn’t believe his ears.

“Sing it to me,” he told Semi in a quiet voice.

Now it was Semi’s turn to ask. He wasn’t quite sure if he heard right. 

“What… What did you say?”

Shirabu cleared his throat. He stepped forward into the light, and Semi could now see his face clearly. His frown was long gone, and in its place, the same smile that he had worn back at Semi’s graduation.

“You wrote me a song, right?” Shirabu said again. Semi nodded, and Shirabu continued, “I want...I want you to sing it to me.”

Semi gaped.

“Now?” He asked incredulously.

He must have had a funny look on his face, because the laugh that Shirabu let out was light. His brown eyes shone brightly in the dark, and his pleased expression made Semi’s heart skip a beat. 

“Now, tomorrow, whenever you want to. I would love to hear it.”

It took a while, but when he was finally convinced that Shirabu wasn’t joking, the knot in Semi’s chest slowly unravelled. 

With budding anticipation and curiosity, he reached for Shirabu’s fingers to release them from his wrist, then carefully slid his own fingers in between, to interlace them together.

When Shirabu simply _let_ him, Semi felt a sudden wave of courage.

”How about dinner tomorrow night, then?” He asked, heart racing, “I’ll bring my guitar.” 

Shirabu’s grip tightened in his. He was still smiling. 

“Sure, let’s see how sappy you can get.”

Semi barked out a laugh, and reciprocated with a relieved grin of his own. 

“Well, you asked for it,” he warned, tugging Shirabu towards the entrance of the train station. “Better be prepared to be swept away.”

Shirabu did a tiny jog and got in step with Semi. He kept their hands firmly held between them as they walked together side by side. 

”I’m looking forward to it, Semi-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> (I miss being in love.)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this x


End file.
